I would not ride a bike acting this way on the front end until it was figured out BTW.

Agreed, I won't be riding it till it is figured out now. I've suspected brakes since the beginning, but needed a new tire and figured I'd eliminate that from the equation. So, will check the brake pads first, if thats not it then I'll be taking it in. I have a set of old pads that I replaced. They weren't completely gone so I'll put them on and see if that fixes it.

I too have played the tire or is it the brake game. In two cases it was both. I would be very surprised to hear it was bearings with your mileage, but it is possible. I would think you would hear if so? If you have tried all that the guys have listed than move to the rotors and test. If you don't have a dial gauge just place your bike on a stand and spin your front wheel and listen. Next place a small straight edge 1/16 from the rotor and spin wheel. If one or the other side is out you will see it. Let us know how you make out. Cheers

Yeah man, so I'm going to buy a new tire and... That wise guy start dissing us and we are looking right hat him [lQQk] at that tire roll with the rear tire I don't see it if I now rode the bike backasswords, I'm DOT.org built to steer in reverse is my ass numb.

I just need to turn around so I'm riding like normal again.

I just sit here laughing you don't have that double up or cut the bike in half and ride that newer tire, I'd be more safe on it personally.
Only one ear will figure it out and the Darwins wins on their end.... Or fronts!

Now, I'm really pounding the laughs out, I tape it up to make it last longer.

* Last updated by: Hub on 3/21/2011 @ 9:44 AM *

Hub you a bad man lol

This is one nasty bike. It goes off song sync wise, oil level wise, tire wise, hack wise.

You select well; as in:

1. Sync to smooth = Sprint away.
2. Grunt pressure = Tune the sprint = Bet me the 2-12 has some grunt built-inn you more bring a pillow and sleep on it after you get used to the power for 15 minutes of fame.
3. Tires grip and the front you twist = No washing away front end she is sitting up on the step with less contact, forks fully extended hello.... Ground!
4. Hack wise is be very selective = How come they can catch up, I must be limping home! LOL Fan on all the way!

I am feeling the same wheel chatter and all I do is change tires = Chatter gone.

No scrubbing and sanding my pads down the block and back, look, key rot tea kid! "Sanda flow."

If you are convinced that tire / wheel / brakes / rotor are all ok then it is time ti check the head bearing to see if it is loose.
We have sport bikes around my homeland (St. Louis) that have to be tightened up before head shake is gone.

Just a thought.

I just changed my brake pads just to see what happened. I had an older set that was still good. Put them on and thought for a second it was better but did a little harder stop and front shook a bunch. When riding I think I could feel a very light pulse this time in the brake lever, ever so slight and when I am riding slow can hear the brakes, like a little pulsing noise. Can a rotor cause all of this. I look down the tree while riding and braking and don't see any movement back and forth there. I think I am going to take it in and get a diagnosis, then get the parts to fix it myself. I don't have a front stand, just a rear one. This is so frustrating.

I had a bent rotor on an old zx6r once and the front brake would grip then fail and not work at all after that until I shut the bike off and pumped up the lever, then it would grip once and then not work again.

If the wheel was bent could they have mounted and balanced a tire on it? I would think it wouldn't balance if that were the case.

like a little pulsing noise. Can a rotor cause all of this

yes

I think I am going to take it in and get a diagnosis, then get the parts to fix it myself. I don't have a front stand, just a rear one. This is so frustrating.

Buy a front stand first. You can find this on your own. Spinning the wheel freely off the ground is what they will start with. Well,, maybe a few brake stands in the back in the name of a test drive. In the grand scheme of things a stand is cheap.

Yep, possible they may have tagged the disc(s) changing tires. I warp will push the pad back in. There is your pump of the caliper piston back out with a few pumps. If you just threw in a set of worn pads, not cement scrub the shine off, you are trying to determine who is giving you problems:

1. Can't be the master; too reliable.
2. Can't be the caliper; too reliable.
3. Can't the new tire; has to be at least close in balance.
4. Could be the brake pads; if never scrubbed to remove that variable.
5. Could be the disc; being out of zero run-out to .004"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFymD9hL5kU

Might help, might not.

HBU, I'm going to scrub those pads and put them back in tomorrow, takes a couple minutes to change so easy test. However, just curious as to how the brakes could cause the pulsing just from a glaze. BTW, my old brakes weren't completely worn out and I never had this problem with the old pads. I figured they would not have any glazing on them.

So, I took the bike around the block a few times yesterday and tried to see if I could hear or see anything. Here is some more observations. From what I can tell my front end shakes all the time, braking or not. It is hard to notice when I'm not braking but it is shaking a tiny bit. When I look down the triple tree I can see it shaking slightly. I can actually hear a pulsing noise coming from the brakes when not braking. Like the brakes aren't fully releasing. When I am braking at really slow speed like 5mph I can actually feel the brakes grab and then slip and grab again. I'm really thinking it is the rotors. I'm just waiting for my front stand in the mail so I can check it. The only other thing up there is the bearings. I'm sure it isn't the caliper or master cylinder either. I've never had problems with them on anything other than an old car that sat for a long time. My bike never sits for long periods since we ride year round.

I'll update in a day or two when I get my stand and can actually check the rotors, by then the pads will have been scrubbed too. Hopefully that will be it and I can just get the parts I need. Anyone know a good source for rotors? I'm looking for new ones on ebay.

Push the pads back into the caliper to where they are not hitting the rotor and only use the back brake. If it still shakes then time to move on to other possibilities.

There is a remote possibility that your caliper piston is sticking and not releasing, but it would drag more consistently and the pads (and rotor) would wear quick. I hope it's not your rotor, those dang things are a fortune!

I would not ride that bike now!!! With the front wheel catching pad or the front tire out of balance that bad, I'd have to recheck that tire assembly.

1. You did catch how you setup the calipers one at a time? Hand tighten the caliper, bang a lever so the caliper lines up for the last time before torque.
2. What you didn't see was wheel setup. You do not need a stand for this. Loosen all the axle pinch bolts and caliper bolts:
a. Sit on the bike. Hold the front brake. Shake back and forth.
b. This floats the axle so the tubes are not squeezed together like you caught your toes in the door closing. Your feet are flat and lay where they rest.
c. Back to your tightening sequence. Right fork is the first pinch if not left alone rather you un-pinch the left fork. Because the axle moves out the right side, the left has that axle threaded plug at that end and only one fork is in question. Your option to run both loose.
d. Fork has been shaken out, the axle bolts are done, you now float the calipers as per video. The only down side is not to see your work with a spin off the ground. Screw it, you'll know the job has subsided you now test that fork shake.
e. We are keeping the out of balance wheel as an assumption we still have or lost the fork harmonics. Then we now narrow it down to still sticking is the pre-warp disc? Or, are we talking an out of balance/damaged disc induced work done?

* Last updated by: Hub on 3/23/2011 @ 12:05 PM *

When I am braking at really slow speed like 5mph I can actually feel the brakes grab and then slip and grab again

Are Your rotors clean ? No grease, armer all, wax over spray. U know, crap on half a rotor. Brake clean and a scotch bright pads will make sure. Just a thought.

When the rotor gets bent bad enough you will have NO front brakes while moving. Works great when not in motion. Ask me how I know lol ? I hope you never find out.

OK, I got my front stand today. I put the bike up on my stands. I put a tool right up against the rotor so it was just barely touching and clamped it. Wouldn't you know, the right rotor is warped, the left looked ok. It was hitting the tool every half rotation or so. It even looked warped to me when I was spining the tire and looking at it. So I guess I'm going to buy a new set of rotors. Hopefully that will take care of everything. Was wondering though, should I do the front wheel bearings too? I doubt they are bad but wonder if it something I should do since I had all that vibration up there.

Oh, I was also thinking about powdercoating the inner rotor area. Can this be done. I figure they are supposed to stand up to heat but thought I would ask here as well. I'd hate to ruin a set of rotors but if it won't hurt them at all I'd like to do it.

ROMANS, you want to sell a set of rotors? Looks like you have a spare or three, lol.

* Last updated by: Bruiserman on 3/28/2011 @ 3:41 PM *

HUB was hinting ya head stem me thinks

ROMANS, you want to sell a set of rotors? Looks like you have a spare or three, lol.

I would let you have them but only one is good. Not sure which lol. Rotors much better to buy new. Now is your chance to up grade. Galfer ?

Wish I could afford a set of those. I'm probably going to have to find some stock rotors. Hoping Ebay might have a new set for a decent price.

Bruiser, Say ebay wants $250 for both rotors. Say OEM is 250 each. My point is, you are going to buy $250 worth of worn junk and are out 250. Brakes are new-new-new not wear someone's old diaper change. LOL

agreed, no used parts. What are your these

rotors.

* Last updated by: Bruiserman on 3/28/2011 @ 8:03 PM *

I'm into balancing, I even balance the sprocket carrier... Blue can do WOT he wants with his tires.